Log pre-loading apparatus



Jan. 5, 1960 R. R. DARNELL LOG FEE-LOADING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 30, 1957 INVENTOR. RONALD R. DARNELL 9 Arr'Y Jan. 5, 1960 R. R. DARNELL 2.5919522 LOG PRE-LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N N 9' LL.

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LOG PRE-LOADING APPARATUS Filed July so, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. RONALD R. DARNELL United States Patent LOG PRE-LOADING APPARATUS Ronald R. Darnell, Long Beach, Wash.

Application July 30, 1957, Serial No. 675,193

2 Claims. (Cl. 21441) This invention relates to loading apparatus for logging trucks and more particularly to log-preloading apparatus.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of apparatus of this character which can be transported, for example, to a logging operation and there set up to receive and arrange logs horizontally in an elevated position and stacked in the proper manner in advance of the arrival of an empty logging truck for subsequently lowering the logs onto the truck, which can be driven into a load-receiving position within the apparatus.

Another object is the provision of apparatus of the character described which is readily adjustable into extended or retracted positions to accommodate logs of various lengths and also collapsible into compact form for transportation purposes.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the invention showing an elevated load of logs in position to be lowered onto a logging truck reposing on a driveway leading into and extending throughout the length of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a composite perspective view of the apparatus with the logs, logging truck and driveway removed.

Figure 3' is an end view of Figure 1 with the logging truck and driveway removed.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail view of a pneumatic scale which may be added to the apparatus if desired.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary composite perspective detail view on an enlarged scale of a detachable bunk stake.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail view enlarged and taken along the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus in a collapsed and portable condition.

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar, respectively, to Figures 1 and 3 showing a modified form of the invention; and

Figure 10 is a detail plan view of the loading frame shown in Figures 8 and 9.

With continuing reference to the drawings in detail and particularly Figures 1 to 7, reference numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4 indicate generally four identical A frames each comprising a vertical stanchion 5 reinforced by diagonal braces 6 and secured respectively at their top ends to cross beams 7, 8, 9 and 10. The bottom ends of the A frames 1 and 2 are mounted upon opposite ends of a carriage, indicated generally at 11, as are the bottom ends of the A frames 3 and 4 mounted upon a carriage 12. Each of the carriages 11 and 12 is mounted respectively upon supporting wheels 13 and 14 movable along parallel tracks in the form of channel members 15 and 16 spaced apart upon the ground a distance greater than that of the width of a standard body of a logging truck or trailer. Each carriage 11 and 12 comprises parallel longitudinal ice beams 1718 and 1920 interconnected at their ends respectively by transverse members 21 and 22 which carry the supporting wheels 13 and 14. The beams 17 and 18 of the carriage 11 are extended beyond the track 16 a suflicient distance to support a multiple winding drum wherein the individual drums 24, 25, 26 and 27 are driven simultaneously by their common drive shaft 28 connected to and driven by a prime mover such as a gas engine or electric motor (not shown) and suitable variable-speed power transmission means indicated generally at 29.

One end of a lifting cable 30 is wound about the drum 24 and extends upwardly therefrom over a pair of sheaves 31 carried by the cross beam 7 of A frame 1. The opposite end of this cable is permanently connected to a log bunk 32 intermediate the ends thereof and alongside a bunk stake 33 fixedly secured to the bunk. One end of this log bunk is slidably and pivotally attached (see also Figure 6) to the stanchion 5 of the A frame 1 as at 34 and its opposite end (see also Figure 5) is provided with a bunk stake 35 removably attached by means of a pin 36. To the bottom end of this stake is secured as at 37 one end of a second lifting cable 38 which extends over sheaves 39 carried by the cross beam 8 of' A frame 2 then downwardly under a sheave 40 attached to one end of the longitudinal beam 18 of carriage 11 and terminates in wound attachment to the winding drum 26.

A third lifting cable 42 extends from winding drum 27 across sheaves 43 carried by beam 18 of carriage 11, under a sheave 44 attached to the bottom end of stanchion 5 of A frame 3, over sheaves 45 carried by cross beam 9 then downwardly therefrom and secured at its terminal end to one end of log bunk 46. To the opposite end of this bunk is secured one end of a fourth lifting cable 47 which extends upwardly and across sheaves 48 carried by cross beam 10' of A frame 4, then downwardly under sheave 49 attached to stanchion 5, around a sheave 50 carried by transverse member 21 of carriage 11 and terminates in wound attachment to the winding drum 25. By this arrangement the four winding drums, being of uniform diameter and operating as a single unit, will maintain the pre-loading bunks 32 and 46 in the same horizontal plane throughout their vertical travel relative to their respective A frames 1-2 and 3-4.

For securing the two pairs of A frames in properly spaced operative relation to each other I interconnect the carriages 11 and 12 by threadedly interconnected rod sections 52, the end ones of which are secured as at 53 to the beam 17 of carriage 11 and as at 54 to the beam 20 of carriage 12. For stabilizing the A frames against.

- to carry the load, are pre-loaded on the log bunks 32 and 46 While in an elevated position and so held by their respective cables 30 and 38 and 42 and 47 and conventional winding drum locking mechanism (not shown). The logging truck is then backed into a loading position beneath the logs as they are lowered by controlled release of the winding drums onto the bunks B of the logging truck, while the pro-loading bunks 32 and 46 continue to a lower level in order to clear the load. It will be noted that the pre-loading bunks are located rearwardly of the truck bunks thus enabling the truck to get underway by merely removing the bunk stake 35 from the pre-loading bunk 32 and swinging the bunk about its pivot 34 to clear the oncoming rear bunk B of the logging truck. The truck can be moved into position between the hoist frames without being obstructed by the carriage beams 1720 by the provision of a driveway comprising parallel steel plates D leading into one end of the apparatus as shown in Figure 1, extending throughout the length thereof and supported by the carriage beams and by intermediate supporting blocks (not shown) if desired or necessary.

For controlling the weight of the load in order to comply with highway regulations the pneumatic scale e shown in Figure 4 may be utilized by attaching one to the vertical stanchion 5 of each A frame and in open communication through suitable tubing with the sealed space between two sli htly bowed plates 57 and SL- extending across both carriages 11 and 12 on top of the driveway plates D. The compressive force of air as the wheels roll over the plates will actuate the scales to indicate the load at each corner of the truck.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, the A frames 1A to 4A, their carriage 11A 12A, lifting cables, operating mechanism and all related parts are the same as those in the other form but instead of the pre-loading bunks 32 and 46 I employ a pre-loading frame indicated generally at 61) of greater width than the standard body of a logging truck and permanently attached at two of its corners to the ends of the lifting cables 30A and 38A and near its opposite end to the ends of the cables 42A and 47A. The frame 60 comprises two longitudinal members 61 and 62 of angle iron pivovtally connected at one end to a transverse member 63 and pro vided with permanent stakes 64 at their opposite ends an' also intermediate their ends. As shown in Figures 8 ano 9, the frame 60 is adapted to hold transversely arranged logs TL when the free ends of the frame members are interlocked by a chain 65 provided with a conventional quick-release indicated generally at 65. Upon release of the chain with the logs resting upon the truck body the frame members 61 and 62 will be spread apart by the cables 30A and 33A as they gravitate into a vertical position, thus allowing the loaded truck to be driven away.

For retracting and uniting the four A frames and their respective carriages into a mobile unit as shown in Figure 7 I remove and disconnect the rod sections 52 and the use one of them to interconnect one end of the carriages 1112 or 11A-12A by inserting the rod section through and securing it to the fittings 53. The rod is also inserted through the top ends of wheel forks 68 for supporting wheels 69. The forks are then moved outwardly against the outside longitudinal members of the carriages and beneath inwardly extending locking arms 70 secured to said members to hold the forks and wheels in running positions. The opposite or now forward ends of the carriages are interconnected by bolts or pins 71 extending downwardly through flanges 7 of a trailer hitch 73 and into or through the inside longitudinal members 18-19 of their respective carriages.

While I have shown particular forms of embodiment of my invention 1 am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Portable log pre-loading apparatus of the class described comprising in combination a pair of parallel track members, two carriages movable along on the track members but normally held in spaced relation to each other by interconnected rod sections, a vertical frame mounted on each end of each of said carriages, four power driven winding drums carried by one of the carriages, lifting cables wound about the winding drums and entrained over antifriction means on the top of said frames, log supporting means disposed between said frames and attached to said lifting cables whereby a load of logs can be lifted into an elevated position then lowered onto a logging truck disposed between said parallel track members and a trailer hitch adapted for interconnecting one end of said carriages when the carriages have been arranged adjacent each other, and supporting wheels at the opposite end of the carriages carried by wheel forks removably attached to the opposite end of said adjacent carriages.

2. Log pie-loading apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said log-supporting means comprises a first log bunk suspended by two of said lifting cables, a second log bunk swingably and slidably attached at one of its ends to one of said vertical frames and removably attached at its opposite end to a third of said cables and permanently attached intermediate its ends to the fourth of said cables whereby said second bunk can be swung into a position to clear a log bunk on a loaded logging truck moving out from between said parallel track members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,212,064 Elliott Aug. 20, 1940 2,282,621 Thompson May 12, 1942 2,342,344 Hunter Feb. 22, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,088,675 France Mar. 9, 1955 

